Submitted by Elizabeth Bischoff on the 2017 winter session program in Hawaii sponsored by the Department of Biological Sciences…
A group of us hiked Mauna Kea over the weekend. We did not make it to the top, but we were at an elevation of 9,200 feet. It was an amazing site to sit above the clouds and watch the world beneath us. As we sat there watching the most beautiful sunset I could ever dream of seeing, I reflected on the past month and all the wonderful things I learned about Hawaii’s environment, wildlife and the beautiful Polynesian culture. Living here for the last month, I learned and experienced the true meaning of Aloha. When Hawaiians greet each other with Aloha they are not only saying hello or good-bye, they are showing love and compassion. When you show love and compassion to others, it will come back to you. This is “The Aloha Spirit.” I will miss Hawaii and its people. Every day was an adventure. I experienced things I never thought I would have the opportunity to experience. And now I say with a heavy heart “Aloha Hawaii.”